Acoustic Metamaterials Group Ltd (AMG) and Shun Hing Group announced that they joined hands to bring the world's first metamaterial sound insulation application to Hotel Madera Hong Kong (Hotel Madera). This new class of metamaterial is one of the world's most silent Heating, Ventilation and Air-Conditioning (HVAC) noise control solution that can reduce noise in conditions through intelligent design and manufacturing where conventional materials cannot address.

AMG and Shun Hing Group have cooperated to provide Hotel Madera with a better noise solution for its 24-hour operated air-conditioning via the installation of the world's first metamaterial sound insulation. The specially customized absorption panel reduced the noise level of the 24-hour operated air-conditioning at Hotel Madera from 83 A-weighted decibels (dBA) to 63dBA (24 percent decrease), providing the hotel guests with a tranquil environment. The implementation showcased the flexibility of metamaterials with industrial application and one of the many possibilities of the application of metamaterials,

"We are happy to cooperate with Shun Hing Group to make the world's first metamaterial sound insulation to be applied in real commercial case in Hotel Madera Hong Kong," said Vincent Fong, co-founder of Acoustic Metamaterials Group. This technology has a strong portfolio of United States pending patent, Their acoustic metamaterials research has also been well-published in various world-renowned publications including Nature Publishing Group, Science Magazine, APS Physics, and Materials Horizons.

AMG'S BREAKTHROUGH IN METAMATERIALS TECHNOLOGY

AMG developed a new class of multifunctional materials called metamaterials by using customized complex structure to address noise problems. AMG's customized broadband absorption solution can absorb noise in the low-frequency range under limited space, high-temperature environment, or even high air flow situation by sharping almost any material into a noise absorber, AMG's metamaterial technology applies customization technology with an environmentally friendly material for a silent and durable sound enclosure.

ENGINEERING EXCELLENCE AT SHUN HING GROUP

As an installation team in this project, Shun Hing Engineering Contracting Co., Ltd., the member company of Shun Hing Group provided professional guidance on project planning and component design in this installation to fulfill requirements in limited space and within a fight working period. The team experienced the advantages of metamaterials, such as shortened on-site working time and easy assembly. With the module insulation panel design and prefabricated structural frame, the material can be installed more accurately and easily when compared with other conventional materials.

FULFILLING THE VENTILATION REQUIREMENT IN MACHINERY

Ventilation is a requirement for all machinery in order to reduce heat. Traditional acoustic material works only by blocking the trajectory of sounds, thereby blocking the heat. The metamaterial resonators can absorb sounds beyond geometric scale like black holes, which enables metamaterials to be designed and produced to absorb noise from the side while maintaining adequate air flow.

The replacement of sponge and rock wool as sound insulator brings the benefit of easy maintenance and less health risk due to the less moisture absorbent nature of AMC metamaterial Polycarbonate (PC) as sound insulator

HUGE MARKET POTENTIAL ACROSS THE GLOBE

This acoustic solution can be applied to various chiller plants in the world. The sound insulation modules can also be tailor-made and applied in various industries such as construction, engineering contracting, consumer electronics and aviation. With reasonable manufacturing cost, exponential growth in the sales of sound insulation solutions is predicted in the coming year through the partnership with Shun Hing Group. This technology was awarded the Gold Medal in the 45th International Exhibition of Inventions of Geneva, which was held from 29 March to 2 April 2017.